A physiotherapist from Saffron Walden who suffered multiple injuries in a pothole collision has secured a five-figure compensation settlement.
Luke Millward, 45, was cycling along Audley End Road in March 2017 when he hit a pothole and was flung over the handlebars of his bike.
The married father-of-two, who specialises in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, suffered fractures to his arms and wrist, soft tissue injuries to his back and hip, and a minor head injury.
In the weeks after the incident, Luke struggled to return to work due to his injuries, which also caused him depression and anxiety.
He eventually managed to return to work, however he said that the incident had impacted his way of life, and that he no longer has the confidence to cycle to work.
He also used to be a keen weightlifter but has only been able to start doing this again five years after the collision.
Luke said: "It was an incredibly challenging period in my life.
"At the time of the incident, my wife and I had just bought a new home that needed work. We had a young child, and our second one was on the way.
"As you can imagine, having a heavily pregnant wife and no kitchen or bathroom brought a huge amount of stress and strain for me and my whole family. I wouldn’t want to go through anything like that ever again."
Luke was able to secure the settlement claim against Essex County Council with the help of Thompsons Solicitors and his trade union.
He said: "Thompsons and my trade union, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, were able to give me the help and support I needed during this time.
"My solicitor, Gary, always kept me well-informed on developments and responded promptly to my questions."
Essex County Council admitted partial liability, and an out-of-court settlement was agreed.
Gary Tierney, a senior lawyer at Thompsons' London office, said: "This has been a very harrowing experience for Mr Millward, both regarding the physical injuries and the mental distress he’s had to endure.
"It’s also had a harmful impact on his young family, creating huge stress and uncertainty for them.
"I'm pleased that we could secure a positive outcome for him and his family so they can move on with their lives."
Luke also emphasised the importance of paying for his union subscriptions, without which he said the legal challenge would not have been possible.
A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: "All compensation claims are investigated fully, and damages paid if the council has been liable.
"Essex Highways teams are working hard across the county to assess, fix and maintain the roads and footpaths of Essex.
"Due to our limited resources, we prioritise our work and fix the higher-risk issues first.
"We rely on members of the public to tell us when there is an issue that needs our investigation, and we would encourage residents to visit the Essex Highways website to tell us about any highways issues that may be of concern."
https://www.saffronwaldenreporter.co.uk/news/23662370.saffron-walden-cyclist-awarded-payout-pothole-incident/
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